Sibling fight about a cell phone sparks SWAT standoff

By Dale Lezon

Updated 11:54 am, Friday, June 28, 2013

A 29-year-old man surrendered peacefully to police early Friday morning after a fight with his teenage brother about a cell phone led to a standoff with officers at a home near downtown overnight.

The standoff began about 8:15 p.m. Thursday after the brothers had a fight about a missing cell phone at the home in the 1800 block of Silver near Crockett, said John Cannon, a spokesman for the Houston Police Department.

The standoff ended about four hours later.

Cannon said the brothers argued about the phone, and the older man choked his 16-year-old sibling. The teen left the house afterward and called police, telling them his brother was known to have a gun.

When officers arrived at the home, the man refused to come outside. SWAT officers were called to the scene, but the man did not respond when officers tried to contact him.

Cannon said SWAT officers broke a window and then the man surrendered without incident.